Written Answers Tuesday 17 June 2008

Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides to Scottish students with cerebral palsy while they are studying in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom.

Fiona Hyslop: There is a range of both institutional and individual financial support packages available to disabled students studying within Scotland depending on whether the student is on a further or higher education course.

  Further education colleges in Scotland provide a broad range of courses including specialist courses for people with additional support needs as well as providing additional support for students on mainstream courses. Disabled students undertaking a further education course who have extra costs arising from their disability whilst at college in Scotland can apply for an Additional Support Needs for Learning Allowance. This allowance is not income assessed and following an assessment of needs the college decides the amount of allowance a student will receive.

  Local authorities have the discretionary power to pay bursaries to students studying further education outwith Scotland. Students studying non advanced courses at college in England may also be eligible for an Educational Maintenance Allowance or and Adult Learning Grant.

  The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is an non-income assessed allowance intended to cover the extra costs or expenses a student may have while undertaking a higher education course which arises because of their disability. Students can apply for this allowance if they are studying within Scotland or within the rest of the UK.

  Colleges and universities in the UK also have a responsibility under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (and as amended in 2005) to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non disabled students. This can include providing, within reason, equipment, services, appropriate access to buildings and that adjustments are made to teaching practices and assessments. This is an anticipatory duty which means that institutions need to consider adjustments for all types of disabilities.

  Institutions are expected to meet their statutory duties from the core funding which is allocated to them by the Scottish Funding Council. Institutions are also allocated additional funding through the Disabled Students Premium and Extended Learning Support to support all disabled students.

Access for People with Disabilities

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions it makes to enable people with cerebral palsy to attend university or college.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government encourages all colleges and universities in Scotland to offer flexible courses which respond to the needs of learners while continuing to offer a high quality and relevant learning experience.

  Additional support provided to students to attend college or university is based on the individual needs of the student and their needs for undertaking a particular course.

  Institutions are expected to provide and develop inclusive provision and to meet their statutory duties, for example under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended in 2005), from the core funds which are allocated to them by the Scottish Funding Council. Institutions are also allocated additional funding through the Disabled Students Premium and Extended Learning Support to support disabled students.

  Disabled students can also apply for non income assessed individual allowances which are intended to cover any extra costs or expenses they may have while undertaking a course at college or university which arise as a result of their disability.

Access for People with Disabilities

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many educational institutions are equipped to provide for students with cerebral palsy.

Fiona Hyslop: We do not hold information on how many educational institutions in Scotland are specifically equipped to provide for students with cerebral palsy.

  Colleges and universities in Scotland are continuing to become more inclusive for all students. They undertake or arrange for an access centre to undertake a needs assessment in order to identify any specific support arrangements that are required for disabled students. These arrangements are made on an individual basis for the student and are based on their needs for undertaking a particular course.

Access for People with Disabilities

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts it is making to increase higher and further education provision for people with cerebral palsy.

Fiona Hyslop: Colleges and universities in Scotland are continuing to work towards becoming more inclusive for all students including those with a disability.

  The Scottish Government continues to encourage further and higher education institutions to offer flexible provision which responds to the needs of the learner while continuing to offer a high quality and relevant learning experience.

  Institutions have a statutory duty under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended in 2005) to publish their Disability Equality Schemes. Within many of these published schemes institutions have stated that they are aiming to provide inclusive learning environments and accessible curriculum for disabled students.

  The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, in partnership with colleges and universities, are also undertaking two pilot schemes, one for students undertaking further education and one for students in higher education. The aims of these pilots are to improve the assessment processes involved in identifying a student’s additional support needs for their particular course.

Access for People with Disabilities

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the location is of the nearest institution where Scottish students with cerebral palsy can study at higher or further education level; how much the attendance fees are, and what financial support the Scottish Government provides towards such fees.

Fiona Hyslop: All institutions within Scotland are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (and as amended in 2005) and as such they are required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that students with disabilities are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students. This can include providing, within reason, equipment, services, appropriate access to buildings and that adjustments are made to teaching practices and assessments.

  An individual can apply to any college or university in Scotland to undertake a course at further or higher education level as long as they meet the course entry requirements. Entry requirements vary depending on the nature and level of the course, however, they are normally based on the qualifications and experiences of the individual. The location of an institution is just one of the many considerations individuals take into account when choosing where to study.

  Attendance fees to undertake a further or higher education course at a college or university within Scotland are dependent upon the residency of the individual. An individual who is studying full time, who is ordinarily resident in Scotland and meets the residency criteria will have their fees paid for by either the Student Awards Agency for Scotland if they are undertaking a higher education course or by the Scottish Funding Council if they are undertaking a further education course.

  For a student studying part time or on a distance learning course at a Scottish college or university the student’s fees can be waived if they are on a low income or receiving certain benefits, for example Disability Living Allowance, and the course they are studying qualifies for fee waiver from the Scottish Funding Council.

Alcohol Misuse

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its options for tackling alcohol misuse.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am pleased to announce the publication today of our paper Changing Scotland’s Relationship With Alcohol: A Discussion Paper on Our Strategic Approach which sets out our measures to develop a comprehensive framework for tackling alcohol misuse.

  This government is ambitious for Scotland but the reality is that our relationship with alcohol is holding us back – as individuals, as families, as communities and as a country. But the evidence is clear – if we are to fulfil our ambitions, we must rebalance our relationship with alcohol. We have outlined a robust package of measures which together we believe can begin to change our relationship with alcohol for the better. We want to encourage people to contribute to the debate and discussion about how we can rebalance out relationship with alcohol for good.

  Copies of the discussion paper have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45788) and it can also be viewed online on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current.

Crofting

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish in full all the legal advice received by the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government will make arrangements for legal advice commissioned by the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting to be published in full on the committee’s website – www.croftinginquiry.org

Culture

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its total costs were for Edinburgh’s 2007-08 Winter Festival and what its total planned expenditure is for the festival 2008-09.

Linda Fabiani: The Edinburgh Winter Festivals are managed and delivered by City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) and in 2007-08 the Scottish Government contributed £67,500 funding towards the events programme.

  We are currently in discussion with CEC about Scottish Government sponsorship of events in the 2008-09 programme.

Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the sale, transportation and carrying of swords for the purposes of Scottish Highland dancing are exempt from the provisions of the Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: The Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 enables the Scottish ministers to prohibit the manufacture, sale, hire, etc of swords, and to make exceptions for legitimate religious, cultural and sporting purposes. No such prohibitions are yet in place. The policy memorandum for the bill made it clear that Scottish Highland dancing is recognised as a part of our rich cultural heritage and will be one of the exceptions to the general prohibitions. Highland dancers will therefore be able to continue buying swords for use at their classes and competitions.

  The Custodial Sentences and Weapons (Scotland) Act 2007 does not change the law on the carrying of swords in public. It is an offence under section 49 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 to have any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed in a public place without good reason or lawful authority. Any individual instance will be a matter for the police, and ultimately the courts, but transporting a highland dancing sword to and from classes or competitions would generally appear to be a "good reason".

Dentistry

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of three to five-year-olds were registered with an NHS dentist in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by community health partnership.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not available prior to March 2007 for all community health partnership areas. The tables present information as at March, June, September and December 2007. They do not represent the percentages of people in each Community Health Partnership who are registered. Registrations (numerator) are based on the postcode of the practice where the patient has registered with a general dental practitioner. The population (denominator) is based on where the patient resides, in this case the Community Health Partnership. In some cases, the number of registrations may exceed the actual number of "people" in the chosen population.

  Percentage of Three to Five-Year-Olds Registered with an NHS Dentist; by Community Health Partnership

  

 Community Health Partnership
March 2007%
June 2007%
September 2007%
December 2007%


 East Ayrshire Community Health Partnership
 59.4
 58.9
 60.3
 61.9


 North Ayrshire Community Health Partnership
 66.0
 67.6
 70.4
 72.4


 South Ayrshire Community Health Partnership
 91.9
 91.9
 96.0
 99.2


 Scottish Borders Community Health and Care Partnership
 58.8
 58.0
 58.6
 61.2


 Dumfries and Galloway Community Health Partnership
 66.3
 69.3
 73.2
 76.5


 Dunfermline and West Fife Community Health Partnership
 55.8
 55.2
 56.8
 56.2


 Glenrothes and North East Fife Community Health Partnership
 52.6
 52.8
 54.2
 55.9


 Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth Community Health Partnership
 82.6
 83.6
 86.8
 91.4


 Clackmannanshire Community Health Partnership
 64.0
 63.3
 64.7
 69.3


 Falkirk Community Health Partnership
 66.3
 68.3
 71.4
 74.7


 Stirling Community Health Partnership
 69.0
 70.5
 73.5
 73.7


 Aberdeen City Community Health Partnership
 65.6
 67.1
 69.3
 70.2


 Aberdeenshire Community Health Partnership
 57.1
 56.1
 58.6
 59.3


 Moray Community Health and Social Care Partnership
 49.6
 48.8
 49.8
 49.4


 East Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership
 74.6
 74.8
 78.3
 79.9


 East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership
 76.2
 77.2
 80.8
 84.1


 East Renfrewshire Community Health and Care Partnership
 78.3
 78.7
 80.9
 82.2


 Inverclyde Community Health Partnership
 74.5
 77.7
 80.8
 85.4


 North Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership
 53.3
 54.5
 56.8
 61.0


 Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership
 67.9
 69.3
 72.5
 74.2


 South East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership
 84.9
 86.7
 90.5
 93.8


 South West Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership
 65.4
 66.0
 69.3
 71.3


 West Dunbartonshire Community Health Partnership
 70.3
 71.9
 75.4
 77.5


 West Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership1
 101.7
 103.1
 109.1
 112.3


 Argyll and Bute Community Health Partnership
 61.5
 62.3
 64.7
 65.9


 Mid Highland Community Health Partnership
 44.6
 42.8
 40.3
 39.8


 North Highland Community Health Partnership
 36.7
 32.6
 32.1
 32.0


 South East Highland Community Health Partnership1
 80.1
 87.6
 101.0
 106.9


 North Lanarkshire Community Health Partnership
 67.3
 68.4
 70.4
 72.2


 South Lanarkshire Community Health Partnership
 70.0
 70.3
 73.7
 75.6


 East Lothian Community Health Partnership
 75.3
 75.3
 76.8
 76.4


 Midlothian Community Health Partnership
 65.6
 64.3
 66.6
 66.5


 West Lothian Community Health and Care Partnership
 73.8
 74.2
 78.3
 81.1


 Orkney Community Health Partnership
 38.6
 44.4
 52.0
 53.3


 Shetland Community Health Partnership
 60.3
 58.5
 65.0
 69.4


 Angus Community Health Partnership
 70.5
 69.0
 68.6
 67.4


 Dundee Community Health Partnership
 84.0
 85.8
 92.1
 93.5


 Perth and Kinross Community Health Partnership
 68.4
 69.6
 71.7
 71.1


 Western Isles Community Health Partnership
 39.1
 45.7
 48.6
 52.6


 Edinburgh Community Health Partnership
 79.3
 80.6
 83.9
 86.3



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Note: Registrations (numerator) are based on the postcode of the practice where the patient has registered with a general dental practitioner as opposed to the postcode of the patient. The population (denominator) is based on where the patient resides, in this case the Community Health Partnership. In some cases, the number of registrations may exceed the actual number of "people" in the chosen population.

Drug Misuse

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent under the Justice budget on tackling drug misuse in 2007-08.

Fergus Ewing: A total of £65.9 million was allocated to tackling drug misuse in 2007-08 under the Justice portfolio. This consisted of £23.7 million for drug treatment and rehabilitation services; £5 million to support the work of Drug Action Teams and centrally managed projects; £14.1 million for criminal justice interventions, including Drug Treatment Testing Orders, and £23.1 million to the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency to prevent and detect all forms of serious organised crime, which includes drug enforcement.

  In addition, significant resources were also spent on policing in Scotland and many police officers dealt with the effects of drug misuse.

  Significant resources outwith the Justice portfolio budget are also applied to tackling drug misuse. This includes expenditure by local authorities on services for those affected by drugs and/or alcohol misuse (£42.3 million in 2006-07); additional expenditure by health boards on treatment services, from their unified budgets, and expenditure by local authorities on substance misuse education. The Audit Scotland inquiry into expenditure on drugs will assist in developing a full picture of current spend.

Drug Misuse

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent under the Justice budget on tackling drug misuse in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 in (i) real and (ii) cash terms.

Fergus Ewing: The following table sets out figures for 2008-09 and indicative allocations, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, for 2009-10 and 2010-11 under the Justice portfolio for tackling drug misuse.

  

 Area of Spend
2008-09 (£000)
2010-11 (£000)
2011-12 (£000)


 Drug treatment and rehabilitation services
 24,600
32,000*
 32,800*


 Support to Drug Action Teams and centrally managed initiatives
 5,104


 Criminal Justice Interventions
 15,500
 15,500
 15,500


 Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA)
 23,600**
 23,700**
 23,900**



  Notes:

  *This is the total amount available for drug treatment and rehabilitation services and to support drug action teams and centrally managed initiatives. A decision will be made in due course about the division between the two areas of spend.

  **Whilst the SCDEA has a significant drug enforcement element, its statutory provisions are to prevent and detect all forms of serious organised crime so it is difficult to separate out the specific spend on drug matters. There is also a statutory requirement to consult on the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency budget before it is allocated.

  Significant resources are also spent on policing in Scotland – currently over £1.1 billion a year and the government is investing £94 million over the next three years to deliver a more visible policing presence by recruiting 1,000 additional officers many of whom will be dealing with drug misuse.

  Significant resources outwith the Justice portfolio budget are also applied to tackling drug misuse. This includes expenditure by local authorities on services for those affected by drugs and/or alcohol misuse (£42.3 million in 2006-07); additional expenditure by health boards on treatment services, from their unified budgets, and expenditure by local authorities on substance misuse education. The Audit Scotland inquiry into expenditure on drugs will assist in developing a full picture of current spend.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities regarding educating children permanently excluded from state schools.

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities regarding educating children temporarily excluded from state schools.

Maureen Watt: Guidance on the exclusion of pupils from school, including educational provision during exclusion, is contained within the publication Exclusion From Schools In Scotland: Guidance to Education Authorities Circular 8-03.  The circular is available from:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2003/11/18496/28823.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities regarding the education of children temporarily withdrawn from state schools during a dispute over suitability of provision for the additional support needs of the child.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government has provided guidance within Included, Engaged and Involved Part 1: attendance in Scottish schools  which recognises that in some circumstances parents may condone absence due to difficulties in school. Guidance encourages early contact with parents through home-link workers or family support staff to build relationships and restore trust. Guidance also indicates that flexible arrangements to secure continued education should be a priority. Included, Engaged and Involved is available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/12/05100056/0 .

  Supporting Children’s Learning, the code of practice for additional support for learning, provides clear guidance that parents should have access to free independent mediation services, and/or dispute resolution services, to resolve disagreements relating to provision for additional support needs.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4714 by Peter Peacock on 15 December 2003, how many excluded pupils were provided with alternative education that was not sufficient to meet their educational needs in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07.

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4713 by Peter Peacock on 15 December 2003, what the average length of time was before (a) temporarily and (b) permanently excluded pupils received any form of education in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07.

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4713 by Peter Peacock on 15 December 2003, what the average time has been for education authorities to find alternative education for excluded pupils in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07, broken down by education authority.

Maureen Watt: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The Scottish Government collects national statistics on exclusion from school which includes information on the type of alternative provision made. These statistics are available from:

  2004-05:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/01/30144545/28.

  2005-06:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/01/30100624/31.

  2006-07:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/28122247.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what statute or guidance local authorities are required to provide full-time education to children of (a) primary and (b) secondary school age.

Maureen Watt: Whilst there is no specific statute or guidance which defines full time education, legislation does set out the parameters whereby education must be provided. Section 1(1) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 sets out that every education authority has a duty to provide adequate and efficient school education for their area.

  School age is defined in section 31 of the same act as a person who has attained the age of five years and has not attained the age of 16 years and the Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975 require local authority schools to be open for 190 days each school year.

  The regulations do not define the precise length of the school day or week, which are matters left to the discretion of education authorities. A Scottish Executive Circular (No 4/2002) indicated that the widely accepted norm was a 25 hour week for primary schools and a 27.5 hours week for secondary schools.

Education

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines full-time education for children of (a) primary and (b) secondary school age.

Maureen Watt: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13996 on 17 June 2008, which sets out the position with regard to full time education. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fuel Costs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has calculated the costs to pensioner households across Scotland as a result of significantly increased fuel and energy costs over the last 12 months.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish house condition survey collects data on domestic energy expenditure and, from this, the Scottish house condition survey team has carried out the calculation.

  The last year for which survey data is available is 2005-06. Using that data as a base, we have raised the domestic energy expenditure estimates in line with domestic fuel prices.

  We project forward from Scottish household survey estimates of 2005-06 that, on average:

  Pensioner couple households spent £1,474 on domestic energy in April 2007 and £1,551 in April 2008.

  Single pensioner households spent £1,113 on domestic energy in April 2007 and £1,192 in April 2008.

Fuel Costs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has calculated the costs to low income families as a result of increased fuel and energy costs.

Stewart Maxwell: Low income households are defined as those households whose income lies in the lowest 20 percentile, i.e. in the bottom 2 deciles.

  The Scottish house condition survey collects data on domestic energy expenditure and income and, using that data, the Scottish house condition survey team has carried out the calculation.

  The last year for which survey data is available is 2005-06. Using that data as a base, we have raised household domestic energy expenditure estimates in line with domestic fuel price rises.

  In May 2006, households in the lowest 20 percentile are estimated to have spent an average of £974 per year on domestic energy.

  In April 2007, the same households are projected to have spent an average of £1,073 per year on domestic energy.

  In April 2008, those households are projected to have spent £1,129 per year on domestic energy.

Health

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is in a position to announce the result of its review of the Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy Service.

Shona Robison: We are not yet in a position to announce decisions on the future shape of the Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy Service (DOTS). This will depend on the outcome of the review of DOTS, which is currently underway.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms through (a) endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph and (b) open surgical repair in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information Services Division (ISD) have provided the number of patients that were treated for abdominal aortic aneurysms, these are:

  (a) Endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph – 26 patients were discharged in 2006 and 47 patients discharged in 2007 for NHSScotland. Information is not centrally held prior to April 2006.

  (b) Open surgical repair – by NHS board of residence, during the period 1999-2007 are shown in the following table:

  Numbers of Patients Undergoing Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

  Patients Discharged During Year End 31 December

  

 NHS Board Residence
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005
 2006
 2007P


 Ayrshire and Arran
 34
 21
 28
 29
 25
 22
 14
 7
 9


 Borders
<5
 9
 7
 6
 10
 13
 12
 7
 14


 Dumfries and Galloway
 14
 16
 27
 28
 25
 25
 13
 10
 18


 Fife
 37
 43
 40
 24
 36
 30
 38
 23
 19


 Forth Valley
 26
 45
 27
 32
 36
 25
 23
 23
 31


 Grampian
 47
 40
 45
 30
 53
 34
 26
 38
 45


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 52
 71
 54
 75
 65
 50
 42
 53
 48


 Highland
 42
 32
 35
 40
 47
 49
 42
 52
 55


 Lanarkshire
 30
 25
 22
 28
 17
 14
 19
 16
<5


 Lothian
 45
 48
 48
 51
 54
 45
 50
 60
 43


 Orkney
 0
<5
<5
<5
 0
<5
 0
<5
<5


 Shetland
<5
<5
<5
 5
 0
 0
<5
<5
<5


 Tayside
 26
 33
 26
 26
 34
 35
 45
 30
 20


 Western Isles
<5
<5
 5
<5
 7
<5
<5
 6
<5


 Outside Scotland/ Other/Not Known
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
<5
 0
 0
<5



  PData for the year to 31 December 2007 are provisional.

  Source: ISD SMR01 Linked Database.

  Note: <5 indicates a cell with fewer than five patients; the actual number of patients has been suppressed for confidentiality reasons.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were treated for thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections through (a) endovascular aneurysm repair using a stent graph and (b) open surgical repair in each year since 1999, also broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: National Services Division (NSD) of National Services Scotland (NSS) manage a national service agreement for interventions to treat thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm. This was designated a national service from April 2001. The following table shows the numbers of patients undergoing endovascular and open repair for aortic aneurysms with thoracic involvement in each year ending 31 March: 2002-08. A geographical breakdown is precluded for reasons of patient confidentiality.

  

 Year End 31 March:
 (a) Endovascular Repair
 (b) Open Operations
 Total


 2002
 0
 7
 7


 2003
 0
 16
 16


 2004
 0
 14
 14


 2005
 4
 13
 17


 2006
 4
 11
 15


 2007
 4
 17
 21


 2008
 6
 16
 22



  Source: National Services Division of National Services Scotland.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the workforce in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside has participated in SHAW (Scotland’s Health at Work) in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations were registered in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside with SHAW (Scotland’s Health at Work) in each of the last three years for which information is available and, of these, how many received (i) bronze, (ii) silver and (iii) gold awards.

Shona Robison: The following table records the number of organisations registered for SHAW for the period 2004-07.

  

 Year
 Dundee
 Tayside


 2004-05
 24
 151


 2005-06
 48
 187


 2006-07
 56
 209



  The following table records the awards presented in Tayside for the period 2004-07.

  

 Year
 Bronze
 Silver
 Gold


 2004-05
 30
 1
 0


 2005-06
 23
 2
 0


 2006-07
 21
 16
 3

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside with SHAW (Scotland’s Health at Work) in each of the last three years for which information is available and, of these, how many received (i) bronze, (ii) silver and (iii) gold awards.

Shona Robison: The following table gives the number of organisations with less than 250 employees registered with the Scotland’s Health At Work (SHAW) Award scheme. There are no details held centrally of numbers in this category achieving an award.

  

 Year
 Dundee
 Tayside


 2004-05
 21
 108


 2005-06
 41
 138


 2006-07
 48
 157

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many employers with over 250 employees were registered in (a) Dundee and (b) Tayside with SHAW (Scotland’s Health at Work) in each of the last three years for which information is available and, of these, how many received (i) bronze, (ii) silver and (iii) gold awards.

Shona Robison: The following table gives the number of organisations in Dundee and Tayside with more than 250 employees registered with the Scotland’s Health at Work (SHAW) Award scheme. There are no details held centrally of numbers in this category achieving an Award.

  Number of Organisations Registered with SHAW

  

 Year
 Dundee
 Tayside


 2004-05
 3
 43


 2005-06
 7
 49


 2006-07
 8
 52

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase access to children’s healthy weight intervention programmes.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has set a new HEAT target for NHS boards to achieve agreed completion rates for child healthy weight intervention programmes by 2011. Over the next three years the Scottish Government will provide £6 million across all boards to support the establishment of and access to these programmes. We expect 20,000 overweight and obese children between the ages of five and 15 to benefit from these interventions over next three years.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects oxygen conservation devices to be included in the Scottish Drug Tariff.

Shona Robison: We are not yet in a position to comment on the possible inclusion of oxygen conservation devices in the Scottish Drug Tariff. Decisions on that issue will depend on the outcome of a review of the Domiciliary Oxygen Therapy Service, which is currently underway.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Private Sector Housing Grant (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Maxwell: Private Sector Housing Grant allocations for 2007-08 and 2008-09 are as detailed in the following table.

  The baseline allocations include the Scottish Government’s contribution towards Care and Repair running costs of approximately £2.4 million a year.

  

 Private Sector Housing Grant
Baseline Allocation2007-08 
(£ Million)
Baseline Allocation2008-09 
(£ Million)


 Scotland Total
 67.45
 67.34


 Aberdeen City
 2.66
 2.78


 Aberdeenshire
 1.26
 1.22


 Angus
 1.02
 1.05


 Argyll and Bute
 3.15
 3.18


 Clackmannanshire
 0.57
 0.54


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2.22
 2.20


 Dundee City
 2.12
 2.19


 East Ayrshire
 0.96
 0.96


 East Dunbartonshire
 0.80
 0.79


 East Lothian
 1.48
 1.36


 East Renfrewshire
 0.65
 0.55


 Edinburgh, City of
 6.82
 7.00


 Eilean Siar
 3.35
 3.33


 Falkirk
 1.01
 1.01


 Fife
 1.44
 1.41


 Glasgow City
 10.22
 10.66


 Highland
 4.32
 4.35


 Inverclyde
 1.28
 1.20


 Midlothian
 0.51
 0.51


 Moray
 1.25
 1.28


 North Ayrshire
 1.18
 1.22


 North Lanarkshire
 3.26
 2.56


 Orkney Islands
 1.13
 1.12


 Perth and Kinross
 1.71
 1.76


 Renfrewshire
 1.66
 1.70


 Scottish Borders
 1.19
 1.26


 Shetland Islands
 0.99
 0.98


 South Ayrshire
 1.16
 1.17


 South Lanarkshire
 4.87
 4.77


 Stirling
 1.11
 1.17


 West Dunbartonshire
 0.89
 0.82


 West Lothian
 1.23
 1.22

Housing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13563 by Stewart Maxwell on 4 June 2008, what figures were used for the cost of building council houses of various sizes in determining that £25 million would be spent on an incentive package to build new council houses over the next three years.

Stewart Maxwell: The provision of £25 million by the Scottish Government does not presuppose the construction of homes of a particular size or type. The Scottish Government has provided these funds as an encouragement to local authorities in the use of their own resources to fund new homes, and is currently discussing with COSLA the principles that will apply to the disbursement of these funds.

Identity Cards

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the use of identity cards in Scotland.

Fergus Ewing: I can confirm that the Scottish Government has opened discussions exploring the implications for Scotland of the national identity scheme, which includes plans for identity cards linked to a national identity register. The Scottish Government remains opposed to the introduction of compulsory identity cards, and the Parliament has voted against their use for accessing devolved services.

Income

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the average percentages change in salaries for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 compared with those for (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not produce estimates/forecasts on future earnings. The latest data show that for the year to April 2007, average median weekly earnings rose by 3.1%.

Rail Network

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has that First ScotRail was attempting to reduce passenger numbers using franchised services and what disincentives in the previous franchise agreement would have encouraged First ScotRail to seek to reduce passenger numbers.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive has no evidence that First ScotRail was attempting to reduce passenger numbers. Under the "cap and collar" arrangements of the original agreement the franchisee was disincentivised to continue to grow the business once the 80% revenue share was reached, and the expectation was that in order to maintain margins it would instead seek to reduce costs, thereby impacting negatively on passenger growth.

Schools

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether schools promised or commissioned by the previous administration will count towards its target of 250 new and refurbished schools by 2011.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that 250 new and refurbished schools will be delivered in addition to the schools initiated by the previous administration but delivered between 2007 and 2011.

Maureen Watt: The previous Scottish Executive did not hold a definitive list of proposed new or refurbished school buildings because local authorities are directly responsible for strategic and future school estate plans and for commissioning school building work.

  The planning, procurement and then completion of construction work on school buildings involves long lead times, often spanning several years. Inevitably, therefore, some school building work will be planned or commenced during one parliamentary period but not funded/delivered until the next or later.

  Over the current four year parliamentary period, we expect around 250 schools to be built, funded or under construction.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10415 by John Swinney on 11 March 2008, when the Cabinet Secretary will write to me and whether the information on the expense claims of special advisers will be published.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the letter sent on 10 June 2008, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45525).

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10414 by John Swinney on 17 March 2008, when the Cabinet Secretary will write to me and whether the information on overnight hotel stays by special advisers will be published.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the letter sent on 10 June, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45524).

Sportscotland

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-8634 by Stewart Maxwell on 31 January 2008, what progress has been made towards publication of the responses to the review of sportscotland received from stakeholders.

Stewart Maxwell: On 21 January 2008 Sports Directorate officials contacted the stakeholders whose written responses were subject to FOI and asked for their consent to release them under FOI. Due to the limited response we have now contacted all stakeholders to advise we are now releasing all information and a nil response will be assumed as consent.

  Written responses will be placed on the Scottish Government website by the end of the month.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the income thresholds will be for full-time students to receive (a) young student bursaries, (b) student loans and (c) additional student grants in each of the next three years.

Fiona Hyslop: Thresholds for bursaries, loans and additional grants are uprated on an annual basis based on the underlying rate of inflation (The Retail Prices Index excluding Mortgage Interest Payments or RPIX).

  It is not possible to provide income thresholds for future years until we know what the RPIX rate is.

  Thresholds for academic year 2008-09 were announced on 17 January 2008 in S3W-8542. At this time information on income thresholds was placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44263).

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the SAAS - Loans to Grants efficiency savings will lead to any reduction in revenue for the Scottish Government from (a) graduates, (b) the Student Loans Company or (c) elsewhere and, if so, how much that reduction will be.

Fiona Hyslop: The proposed loans to grants efficiency saving will not result in any net reduction in revenue for the Scottish Government, the Student Loans Company or elsewhere.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what element of its DG Education’s targeted savings for (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11, as shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008 , comes from (i) not raising the eligibility threshold for government contributions to student support and (ii) not moving to the use of parental income from two years prior as the basis for calculating the parental contribution, in line with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Fiona Hyslop: None of the efficiency savings identified on page 77 of the Government’s Efficiency Delivery Plans , published on 30 May 2008, are as a result of (i) not raising the eligibility threshold for government contributions to student support and (ii) not moving to the use of parental income from two years prior as the basis for calculation the parental contribution.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to plans for its DG Education shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008 , whether its budget assumptions have ever included (a) raising the eligibility threshold for government contributions to student support and (b) moving to the use of parental income from two years prior as the basis for calculating the parental contribution, in line with the rest of the United Kingdom and, if so, for which budgets such assumptions were made.

Fiona Hyslop: Budget plans assume that the eligibility thresholds for student support rise each year in line with the underlying rate of inflation (RPIX).

  The budget assumptions for years 2008-11 have not taken into account moving to the use of parental income from two years prior to the start of a course. This is a policy change which is taking place in England. The Scottish Government have no plans to change the current practice.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to plans for its DG Education shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008 , for what levels of parental income the parental contribution towards student support will be higher as a result of assessing the parental income from one year prior compared with two years prior, as will be the case in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not estimated what the effect of such a change may be. The Student Awards Agency for Scotland has always assessed parental income from one year prior and has no plans to change this.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the organisations it consulted prior to plans for its DG Education, as shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008 .

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government consulted with the Students Awards Agency for Scotland when considering the planned efficiencies for DG Education as outlined on page 77 of the Efficiency Delivery Plans publication.

  We will undertake a wider consultation on student support later this year.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for its DG Education, as shown on page 77 of Efficiency Delivery Plans: May 2008 , take account of the changes to eligibility criteria for student support announced on 15 February 2008.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s Efficiency Delivery Plans do not take account of the changes to eligibility criteria for student support announced on 15 February 2008 as these changes are not designed to generate savings.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10210 on 5 March 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Wildlife Crime

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about wildlife crime have been (a) received and (b) investigated by each Scottish police force in each of the last three years for which figures are available; of these, how many prosecutions were (i) brought and (ii) successful following investigation, and how many full-time gamekeepers were convicted as a result of such prosecutions.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of complaints received and investigated by police forces is not held centrally, nor is information on the professions of those proceeded against. The available information on the number of crimes recorded by the police and persons proceeded against in Scottish courts is shown in the following tables.

  Numbers of Wildlife Crimes1 Recorded, by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

  

 Police Force
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 27
 23
 25


 Dumfries and Galloway
 12
 9
 14


 Fife
 14
 52
 17


 Grampian
 37
 41
 72


 Lothian and Borders
 24
 111
 130


 Northern
 23
 26
 16


 Strathclyde
 64
 61
 94


 Tayside
 24
 9
 12


 Scotland
 225
 332
 380



  Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Wildlife Crime Offences1 (where Main Offence), by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

  

 Police Force
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 4
 10
 8


 Dumfries and Galloway
 10
 10
 8


 Fife 
 3
 2
 3


 Grampian
 12
 22
 19


 Lothian and Borders
 13
 15
 18


 Northern
 19
 18
 12


 Strathclyde
 33
 18
 54


 Tayside
 7
 16
 21


 Scotland 
 101
 111
 143



  Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

  Persons with a Charge Proved for Wildlife Crime Offences1 (where Main Offence), by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

  

 Police Force
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Central
 3
 8
 4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 6
 5
 6


 Fife 
 3
 2
 3


 Grampian
 8
 18
 13


 Lothian and Borders
 6
 14
 16


 Northern
 13
 18
 11


 Strathclyde
 28
 15
 46


 Tayside
 5
 10
 11


 Scotland 
 72
 90
 110



  Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

  Some caution is needed when comparing figures between recorded crime and court proceedings as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. In addition a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

Wildlife Crime

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13505 by Michael Russell on 4 June 2008, whether the working group to develop the detail of new legislation to regulate the use of snares will be the same group as the PAW (Scotland) Legislation, Regulation and Guidance sub-group referred to in Natural Justice: A Joint Thematic Inspection of the Arrangements in Scotland for Preventing, Investigating and Prosecuting Wildlife Crime and what the membership and specific remit of that group will be.

Michael Russell: The PAW Scotland sub-group which "Natural Justice" recommended should be established would be an appropriate group for examining detailed issues relating to the laws regulating snaring as envisaged in the answer to S3W-13505.

  The membership and remit of the working group will be finalised over the coming months in consultation with the PAW Scotland steering group.